AFI (2004 album)

AFI is an album by the American rock band AFI, compiling tracks from their releases on Nitro Records between 1996 and 2001, before the band signed to DreamWorks Records and achieved mainstream success. Released on November 2, 2004, the compilation peaked at #88 on the Billboard 200.

AFI
Compilation album by AFI
Released	November 2, 2004
Recorded	1995–2000
Genre	Hardcore punk horror punk
Length	38:27
Label	Nitro
Producer	AFI Chuck Johnson Michael Rosen
AFI chronology
Sing the Sorrow (2003) AFI (2004) Decemberunderground (2006)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]

The album's tracks are presented in reverse chronological order from their Nitro Records release dates, beginning with material from The Art of Drowning (2001) and proceeding through the All Hallow's E.P. (1999), Black Sails in the Sunset (1999), Shut Your Mouth and Open Your Eyes (1997), Very Proud of Ya (1996), and Answer That and Stay Fashionable (originally released in 1995 on Wingnut Records, re-released by Nitro in 1997). It includes the Art of Drowning B-side "A Winter's Tale", previously released on The Days of the Phoenix E.P. (2001), as well as three tracks previously exclusive to the LP releases of the band's albums: "Lower It" is from the LP release of Black Sails in the Sunset, while "Rolling Balls" and "Who Said You Could Touch Me?" are from the LP release of Very Proud of Ya.

Background

The album is the last major Nitro Records release of AFI material before their DreamWorks Records debut, Decemberunderground. According to Discogs, the album was "Allegedly released by Nitro Records without AFI's permission".[2] A month before its release, the band posted on their official message board:

While we're really proud of our history and accomplishments we feel our career is really just getting started and feel slightly embarrassed by anything that hints at retrospect. There's plenty of time for that later when we're old. We'd rather move forward....[1]

Track listing

No.	Title	Length
1.	"The Lost Souls" (from The Art of Drowning, 2001)	2:42
2.	"The Days of the Phoenix" (from The Art of Drowning, 2001)	3:27
3.	"A Winter's Tale" (from The Days of the Phoenix E.P., 2001)	3:24
4.	"Totalimmortal" (from the All Hallow's E.P., 1999)	2:44
5.	"Fall Children" (from the All Hallow's E.P., 1999)	3:12
6.	"The Prayer Position" (from Black Sails in the Sunset, 1999)	3:28
7.	"God Called in Sick Today" (from Black Sails in the Sunset, 1999)	3:22
8.	"Lower It" (from Black Sails in the Sunset, 1999)	2:18
9.	"A Single Second" (from Shut Your Mouth and Open Your Eyes, 1997)	2:11
10.	"Third Season" (from Shut Your Mouth and Open Your Eyes, 1997)	2:49
11.	"He Who Laughs Last..." (from Very Proud of Ya, 1996)	1:49
12.	"I Wanna Get a Mohawk (But Mom Won't Let Me Get One)" (from Answer That and Stay Fashionable, 1995)	1:12
13.	"Perfect Fit" (from Very Proud of Ya, 1996)	1:58
14.	"Rolling Balls" (from Very Proud of Ya, 1996)	2:21
15.	"Who Said You Could Touch Me?" (from Very Proud of Ya, 1996)	1:24

Reception

According to a PunkNews.org review, the album is "Purely intended as a proper introduction to fans first associated with AFI from their 2003 major label debut full-length, Sing The Sorrow" which functions as "a nice sampler of material ... of the band's back catalog."[3]

Chart positions

Chart (2018)	Peak position
US Independent Albums (Billboard)[4]	4
US Billboard 200[5]	88

References

1. Allmusic review
2. "AFI - An Essential Retrospective Of AFI's Nitro Years". Discogs. Retrieved 2020-12-18.
3. Shultz, Brian (November 2, 2004). "AFI - AFI". Punknews.org. Retrieved 2020-12-18.
4. "AFI Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved March 6, 2018.
5. "AFI Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved March 6, 2018.